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On 7th May 2015 the next United Kingdom general election is to be held to elect the 56th Parliament of the United Kingdom. The leader of the Conservatives, who are the larger party in the current coalition government, is David Cameron. At present, he is the UK’s Prime Minister. In the following, I will try to predict if Cameron and his party will be successful in the upcoming election and if he will be able to defend his position as Prime Minister.

The chart below shows the Sun’s Aries ingress for 2015:

With a fixed sign rising, this chart will be valid for the whole of 2015.

From the chart above, we can see that Mercury will be Lord of the Year. Being Lord of the 10th house, he is prominently positioned near the 4th house cusp. He is also debilitated by detriment and fall and square Saturn, the greater malefic. Main themes during this solar year will be matters concerning communal finances and business in general. The ingress chart shows that debilitated Mercury is squaring Saturn in the 1st house. This indicates more financial restrictions and continued economic hardship for most of the population. All of this doesn’t come as a surprise to anybody who followed the news during the last five years, but it doesn’t indicate in any way who the UK’s next Prime Minister will be. To find out about this, we have to look closely into techniques of traditional astrology. All of the passages quoted below were conceived and recorded long before concepts like ‘constitutional monarchy’ or ‘Prime Minister’ were invented. For this reason, we have to be flexible and think of the ‘king’ as the person in charge, rather than the monarch.

In the Aries ingress chart, the Sun is significator of the king, according to Bonatti, who says to look to

“… the Lord of the Year, and the Lord of the 10th, and to the Sun: and the one of them you find stronger, or less weak, or better disposed, or less bad, … make this the significator of the King.” (BA, p833)*

The Sun is exalted in Aries, which suggests (at least temporary) strength. We know that, traditionally, exaltation is compared to a king on his throne, and we have to remember that Lilly thought it to present “a person of haughty condition, assuming more to him than his due” (CA p102). But we also have to take into consideration that a solar eclipse was taking place only hours before the Aries ingress.

Seeing the election process as a ‘pilgrimage’ (another traditional concept we have to modernise), we can say that with the Sun located in the 4th house, according to Bonatti:

“… his journey will be horrible and fearful. And because it will be in the eights from his own house, it is feared concerning his death.” (BA, p867).

Knowing that Cameron’s position as Prime Minister is at stake, this statement doesn’t come as a surprise either. It has been widely stated in the media that the outcome of this election is one of the most unpredictable in recent history. Still, this observation alone is not enough to predict the outcome.

Another traditional astrologer whose work can be of help in our quest is Masha’allah. In his Revolutions of the Year of the World, he writes:

“… if the significator of the king was not in charge, … the enemy will be from the same clime, but the king will be weakened, and another will be led into his place.” (AoW, p110)**

What he means is that we have to look at the planet who is Lord of the Year and compare its strength to the planet representing the king. Mercury, who is Lord of the Year, is essentially debilitated by detriment and fall, as compared to the Sun, who is essentially dignified by exaltation. Therefore we can argue that the king will not be weakened and it is unlikely that anybody else (i.e. another ruler) will take over his position.

Another way of looking at this is via the accession chart. We know that David Cameron became Prime Minister on 11 May 2010. The Aries ingress chart for this year is shown below:

Reading with the astrologer al-Rijal, in The Book of the Skilled, we find:

“And if the Sun was separating from Jupiter and connected with Mars, [and] then connected with Saturn before he goes out of the sign in which he is, it indicates that a man of the people of the house of the acceder, or of his own rank will rise up against him and he will suffer grief from that – then he will be victorious over him.” (AoW, p449)

With this final judgment taken into consideration, it seems highly likely that David Cameron will continue to be the UK’s Prime Minister after the election in May 2015.

On 29 April 2014, at 06:14:29 UT, there will be a rare non-central annular solar eclipse. The Sun and the Moon will be conjunct in 08*52 Taurus.

A partial eclipse will be visible within the much broader path of the Moon’s penumbral shadow, that includes the southern Indian Ocean, the southern edge of Indonesia and all of Australia.

This eclipse is part of Saros cycle 143, repeating every 18 years and 11 days, containing 72 events. The series started with partial solar eclipse on 7 March 1617.

The map below shows visibility and timing of the eclipse (time = UT):

(click to enlarge)

The astrological chart, cast for Bangladesh, shows the event:

In his Annus Tenebrosus, or the Dark Year, the famous 17th century astrologer William Lilly presents a method of eclipse delineation, including an interpretation of the effects of solar and lunar eclipses, occurring in each decanate of the Zodiac. As this solar eclipse takes place in the first decanate of Taurus, Lilly’s aphorism is as follows:

“afflicts such as are Negotiators, Solicitors, Agents, or are generally employed in men’s affairs, or in the publick; it compells men to undertake unnecessary business, it brings to nought, and confounds all factions undertaken by the former sort of men, and is suficciently hurtfull to corn”.

If we have a look at the eclipse’s path of angularity, we can see the following:

The map above shows that the solar eclipse will be of quite immediate importance for parts of Africa, particularly Morocco, Mauritania, and the Ivory Coast. The eclipse point will be in the first decanate of Taurus, suggesting Venus to be the eclipse ruler. Venus is essentially dignified by exaltation in Pisces. William Lilly tells us about Venus being Lady of the Eclipse:

“… Venus generally in all things is like unto Jupiter, and produces such effects, with a certain kind of gracefulness; Peculiarly she gives renown unto men, honour, cheerfulness, … obedience and confirmity in Religion, … In the ayr she stirs up temperate blasts of wind, moyst and fructifying, no unpleasing weather or troublesome tempest. In rivers, it notes their gentle Inundation, and pretty swellings without harming any thing, not destructive or violently breaking forth …”

We can also see that the eclipse point is conjunct the Medium Coeli in Bangladesh, China and Russia. Our astrological chart above is cast for Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and the map segment below shows the event from a different perspective. We can expect Bangladesh to be affected four to five months after the actual eclipse date.

For readers, interested in the personal implications of this eclipse, it might be of interest what William Lilly has to say:

“… Eclipse is more dangerous or pernitious which shall be in the Horoscope or Ascendant of the birth; or which shall be in the degree Ascending in an Annuall Revolution: it portends unto the Native some ominous and mischievous action as unto his body and also in his vital substance.”

And further on:

“… who had in the Radix of his Nativity either the Sun or the Moon in that degree, or in the degree opposite … or in the like degrees … which signs are in Quadrate aspects to the former, or if the degree Culminating in any man’s Nativity was either [the degree of the eclipse or its opposite or square] or within one degree thereof, the native did suffer more or less by the influence of this Eclips; according to the signification of the House of Heaven, wherein the Sun or the Moon was in at the Birth, and was either well fortified or aspected of the benevolent Planets, or ill aspected, or afflicted of the Malevolents.”

For this particular Solar eclipse that means that people with Taurus rising or culminating, either in their birth chart or in their solar return chart for 2014/15, will feel the influence stronger than others. Furthermore it should be noted if Sun or Moon are closely conjunct the Ascendant or Midheaven. Should it be the case that one or even more of these factors apply, an in-depth reading of the native’s charts may be necessary to find out which particular areas of life are likely to be affected the most.

Jessica Adams from The Astrology Show has published our recent Q&A interview on her website. We are covering a varied selection of topics, including my forecast of the upcoming solar and lunar eclipses, which some of my readers may find of interest.

On 25 October 2012, the Sun will perfect a conjunction with Saturn in Scorpio. This is a rare event that will only be repeated on 6 November 2013 and 18 November 2014. Thereafter, Saturn will move on into Sagittarius and it will take him until November 2041 to return to Scorpio again.

Generally speaking, Scorpio is a cold, watery, nocturnal, feminine fixed sign and is ruled by Mars, called the Lesser Malefic. Key words for Scorpio are: sex and sensuality, death and rebirth, forbidden secrets and hidden matters. People with Scorpio rising or the Sun in Scorpio are often thought to be generally wary, calculating and intensely secretive.

If we have a general look at Saturn, who is also called the Greater Malefic, we find him to be a cold, dry diurnal planet. He mainly represents sobriety, setbacks and restrictions, and when in Scorpio, he specifically indicates the possible appearance of serious problems, as well as an increase in phases of melancholy. During Saturn in Scorpio, many people are drawn towards an exploration of the paranormal or the occult sciences.

With the Sun in Scorpio, we are exposed to similar themes, like an increase in melancholy but may also experience spells of fanaticism, jealousy, a heightened level of determination, and become intensely passionate. We also may be more secretive, manipulative, cunning or obsessive.

When the Sun is conjunct Saturn in Scorpio, many of these themes may become an issue and particularly so for people who have Sun or Saturn natally placed in Scorpio, have Scorpio rising or many even have a Sun – Saturn conjunction in Scorpio in their birth chart.

In sum total, the conjunction between the Sun and Saturn in Scorpio seems to test how we experience identity as individuals. An increased amount of negative or complicated outside influences are seemingly trying to affect how we respond to other people and the world in general. As a response, many of us will become more sober, withdrawn, jealous, more obsessive and so forth.

Between 16 October and 4 November Saturn is very close to the Sun; traditional astrologers say that during this time Saturn is combust. (The actual definition is that a Planet is said to be combust when it is between 17.5 minutes and 8.5 degrees of the Sun.) During this time we all will be exposed to the influences of this conjunction and, as the ancient masters told us, the closeness of the Sun will increase the detrimental effect of Saturn.

But there is a short period of time when Saturn will be very close to the Sun. Traditional astrologers say that Saturn will be in the heart of the Sun, often also called cazimi. (Any Planet within 17.5 minutes of the Sun’s position is said to be cazimi). On the contrary to being combust, this is very beneficial.

Saturn will be cazimi on 25 October, between 00:46UT and 16:18UT.

During this period of time, the Sun will enhance Saturn’s beneficial side. Everybody who is going through an identity crisis or suffers from a lack of self-esteem, caused by the problematic configuration of the Sun and Saturn in Scorpio, will greatly benefit from this short spell of cazimi Saturn. Meditating on these Saturnine themes and allowing ourselves to develop a strong identity, combined with bold decision making in the categories of the Scorpionic themes, like sex and realtionship or death and rebirth will make it possible to embrace the lessons Saturn in Scorpio has in store for us.

I would be delighted if you, gentle reader, would share your experiences of the Sun – Saturn conjunction in Scorpio in form of a comment.

Like this:

On 28 November 2012, there will be a penumbral lunar eclipse. This eclipse belongs to Saros series nr. 145, which was born on 11 August 1832. The graphic below shows the visibility of the lunar eclipse (via Wikimedia*)

(click on graphic to enlarge)

Astrologically speaking, the Moon will be in 06°46’ Gemini, opposing the Sun in 06°46’ Sagittarius. The eclipsed Moon will be conjunct Jupiter and conjunct the Hyades. Furthermore Cauda Draconis, the Moon’s south node, will be conjunct fixed star Algol.

The chart below, cast for Budapest, shows the event.

William Lilly tells us in his pamphlet on the judgment of the effects of solar and lunar eclipses:

“For when the place Eclipsed, or Eclipse itself, shall be in the Ascendant, the effects shall then begin in the 1, 2, 3, and 4. moneth next after the appearance of the Eclips, …”

To find out about the possible effects of this eclipse, we can turn to William Lilly again. He writes in his Annus Tenebrosus, or The Dark Year about a lunar eclipse with the Moon in the first Face of Gemini:

“it threatens Incursions and Rapines of enemies: fraudulent Negotiations, many Treatyes, violent Petitions, many Missives, and much employment of Scribes and Secretaries.”

A look at the map, showing the eclipse’s path of angularity, reveals that the Moon is close to the Ascendant during the eclipse in the centre of Europe, particularly in parts of Poland, but as well Hungary, Rumania and Turkey. Immediate effects of the eclipse can be expected in these parts of the world.

(click on thumbnail to enlarge)

Jupiter is conjunct Moon and ruler of the first Face of Gemini and is therefore of major importance, playing a key role at the time of the lunar eclipse. The map shows that his line of angularity leads through Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, suggesting immediate effects of the lunar eclipse there as well. Jupiter will be retrograde, peregrine and essentially debilitated by detriment. In its debilitated state, Jupiter can represent fraudulent actions, ignorance and carelessness, but also hypercritical religiosity.

(click on thumbnail to enlarge)

From the eclipse chart above, we can see that the Moon in Gemini is conjunct a cluster of stars, the Hyades. These are called “rainy stars”. They are thought to be the nymphs who wept over their brother Hyas, killed by a boar. The Hyades are associated with licentiousness, greediness and the lust for power. Diana Rosenberg writes in her Secrets of the Ancient Skies** that

The Moon’s south node, also known as Cauda Draconis, will be conjunct fixed star Algol, the Demon Star. Lilly says about the effect of Cauda Draconis:

“For the Tayle of the Dragon, I always in my practise found when he was joyned with the evil Planets; their malice or the evil intended thereby was doubled and trebled, or extreamly augmented, &c.” (CA p83)

Algol marks Medusa’s severed head and has a reputation for violence and extreme danger. According to Diana Rosenberg, Manly Palmer Hall called Algol

For readers, interested in the personal implications of this eclipse, it might be of interest what William Lilly has to say:

“… Eclipse is more dangerous or pernitious which shall be in the Horoscope or Ascendant of the birth; or which shall be in the degree Ascending in an Annuall Revolution: it portends unto the Native some ominous and mischievous action as unto his body and also in his vital substance.”

And further on:

“… who had in the Radix of his Nativity either the Sun or the Moon in that degree, or in the degree opposite … or in the like degrees … which signs are in Quadrate aspects to the former, or if the degree Culminating in any man’s Nativity was either [the degree of the eclipse or its opposite or square] or within one degree therof, the native did suffer more or less by the influence of this Eclips; according to the signification of the House of Heaven, wherein the Sun or the Moon was in at the Birth, and was either well fortified or aspected of the benevolent Planets, or ill aspected, or afflicted of the Malevolents.”

For this particular lunar eclipse that means that people with Gemini rising, either in their birth chart or in their Solar return chart for 2012, will feel the influence stronger than others. Furthermore it should be noted if natal Sun or Moon are conjunct the eclipse point. If it should be the case that one or even more of these factors apply, an in-depth reading of the native’s charts may be necessary to find out which particular areas of life are likely to be affected the most.

—

UPDATE: An extreme example of the effect the 1648 lunar eclipse had on a king, see my blog post:

Recently I received an urgent letter from a damsel in distress. The unfortunate woman had developed a couple of unsightly warts on her nose and was terribly worried about the possible restoration of her good looks. Attempting to get rid of the unattractive inhabitants, she visited a doctor who carried out a surgical procedure on her otherwise perfectly shaped nose. Unfortunately and to her great dismay a week after the surgical procedure had taken place, the warts seemed to remain firmly in situ, not showing any inclination that they might be willing to disappear any time soon.

Realising how distressing this debilitating issue was to her, I told the lady not to worry because help was at hand in the shape and form of the horary chart, depicted below.

With the rising sign and the Ruler of the Hour in harmony, we can immediately see that the chart is radical, showing that her pain was real, her question was valid and could therefore be judged.

The main significator of our lady is Mars, Lord of the Ascendant. Aries is in correspondence with the face and the great astrologer William Ramesey writes in his Astrologia Restaurata that Mars is the natural significator of the nose. Mars is located in the 6th house, the house of illness.

Co-rulers of our lady are the Moon and Venus, representing her feminine aspect (health & beauty). Venus is located in the first house, representing her as a person, but also signifying her health.

Now we can have a look at the warts, signified by Saturn. We may notice that Saturn is exalted in Venus. Exaltation suggests that something is extremely visible but short-lived. Another important observation is that Saturn is moving retrograde – a sign that the warts are on their way to disappear!

Looking at the last aspect perfecting before we asked the question, we see that the Sun, ruler of the 6th house health problems trined Saturn. I read this as the onset of the affliction, happening a while before she sent the urgent missive to her astrologer.

Now looking into the future, we can see that the next aspect perfected will be an opposition between Venus and Saturn. Venus, indicator of our lady’s feminine side is in detriment, due to her problems concerning her warts. But with Saturn perfecting the opposition, things will soon come to an end. Saturn (warts) and Venus (the lady’s corrupted feminine appearance) which are so opposed, will part in about 3.5 units.

Therefore the final judgment had to be given as follows:

The chart indicates that surgery took place, which will turn out to be a success. The warts are disappearing slowly, although the healing process will not be complete in a couple of days. I would judge that in about 3 ½ weeks all will be well and the beautiful looks should be restored, once again.

Since the publication of my web log entry about the 2012 solar ingress,( Solar Ingress 2012 for UK, EU & USA ) I have been repeatedly asked about the 2012 presidential elections in the USA. As it seems to be of great interest to the readers of my web log if President Obama may be re-elected, here are a few thoughts. The reader has to keep in mind though, that my musings are based on traditional sources alone.

The presidential elections will take place on 6th November 2012. From the viewpoint of traditional astrology this means that we have to consult the Libra ingress chart, cast for Washington DC to get a picture of the general situation in the USA at the time in question.

2012 Libra Ingress Chart

The Lord of the Revolution in the Libra ingress chart, representing the common people, is Mars. To find the significator of the current ruler, President Barack Obama, we need to establish which Planet the “significator of the king” would be. According to Bonatti, the king, or president as we would now have it, in this ingress chart is signified by Mars.

This fact that both, president and citizens, are signified by Mars already indicates that the fate of the common people and the fate of the president are closely interconnected. Further evidence is provided by the fact that Mars is located in the first house, indicating that the democratic process of the election will manifest the will of the common people, regarding their choice of leader.

Looking at the condition of the President Obama, we find that Mars is in Scorpio, essentially dignified by Rulership and Triplicity, swift, direct and free of sunbeams. This tells us that the president should be in a strong position without any noticeable weakness. Mars being occidental in the chart is the only one minor debilitation, pointing out that there may still be some trouble ahead.

Following this lead, we may determine more about this potential weakness by looking at what Bonatti calls the “substance of the king”. For this, we have to look at the 2nd house of resources and its ruler, Jupiter.

Jupiter is located in the 8th house, dealing with resources, taxes and money owed. We are not surprised to see Jupiter in his detriment as this seems to be a fair description of some of the problems the president may have to deal with during election time.

Traditional astrology also gives judgment about the king’s journey or pilgrimage; I would propose this to be synonymous with the modern process of presidential re-election. The first and most important point is to find out if the significator of the king is not located in the 6th house of infirmity, or the 8th house of death. If it would be so, we could judge with great certainty that President Barack Obama would not be re-elected. As this is not the case, we have to find out next who the Lord/Lady of the 9th house (journeys) is and where he/she is located. Lady of the house of pilgrimage is the Moon and she is located in the second house, in Sagittarius. The Moon is representing the population per se and with her being located in the 2nd house, we may deduct that a large part of the king’s quest will be dealing with problems concerning everybody’s money. Bonatti says:

“If indeed the Lord of the ninth were in the second … it signifies that his journey is because of a quest, namely to acquire money”(BA, p867*)

For further judgment of the condition of the king, Bonatti also advises us to take a look at the eclipses occurring during the time the ingress chart is valid. The solar eclipse, occurring on 13 November is in Scorpio, ruled by Mars.

Total Solar Eclipse, 13 November 2012

Here we can see that the eclipse point is in Scorpio, ruled by Mars. About this, Bonatti tells us:

“… the condition of the king will be more strongly burdened if his significator were the Lord of the sign in which the eclipse is going to come.” (BA, p860)

Looking at Barack Obama’s nativity and the eclipse chart, cast for Washington, the following picture emerges:

What springs to mind here is the fact that the lunar nodal axis of the eclipse chart and the eclipse point are conjunct the 4th/10th house axis of the nativity. This axis is squared by the lunar nodal axis of the eclipse chart (1st/7th house). This is an indicator of the importance of the eclipse for President Obama. Furthermore the eclipse point is located in Obama’s 9th house – the house of pilgrimage, as described before, highlighting the agenda once again.

Weighing all these factors up, we can see that here is a man, fighting the fight of his life. Although there are many obstacles in his way which will need to be overcome, there seems nothing to suggest that he may not be successful in his quest for re-election.